Bay Club Vice President of Fitness Jennifer Beaton reveals the common exercises, techniques, and habits that tack on lots of time but little benefit—and what to replace them with to boost workout effectiveness.
At Bay Club, operator of private luxury athletic clubs and sports resorts in California, trainers have a unique window into a wide range of workout MOs. From brand new exercisers to dedicated veterans, clients come to Bay Club for amenities like member cocktail parties, conference facilities, complimentary refreshments, and the in-house spa—but often end up spending more time on the machines when they could be out cooling off at the pool
“At our clubs, clients may not actually want to get out of the gym quicker! But almost everyone could benefit from getting a more effective workout in less time and reaching their goals sooner,” says Beaton, certified personal trainer at Bay Club’s San Francisco location. To that end, here are four moves s/he gives permission to skip:
Excessive rest. All those minutes spent sitting on the bench staring at your watch really add up. “If you can sit down and read the paper between sets, you are likely resting too long,” says Beaton. To see better results with the very same moves, and optimize your time, try super setting exercises such as push ups and squats, to allow rest of a muscle group while you work another muscle group. Replacing station rest with active rest such as 30 seconds of high intensity cardio can also optimize calories burned and muscle recovery.
Steady-state cardio. In other words, those marathon (no pun intended) treadmill sessions. “We see many members who do the same 60 minutes of cardio at the same intensity every day for 15 years. These individuals no longer see improvements and often start to see declines in overall condition. They would benefit by mixing up their routine, adding intervals and high intensity work,” says Beaton
Isolation exercises. “Life is full of dynamic movement, and therefore our workouts should simulate and enhance those efforts by using multi-joint, compound movements like squats, lunges, and pull-ups as opposed to, for example, adductor/abductor machines or bicep curls. To get the most bang for your buck, focus on performing movements that recruit as many muscles as possible; those smaller secondary muscles will get plenty of work as they support the larger muscle groups during those movements,” says Beaton.
Endless crunches. Likewise, if your goal is a great-looking midsection, ab-isolating exercises may miss the mark. “I often see people doing 15-20 minutes of crunches in hopes that it’ll deliver 6-pack abs. Their time would be better spent on nutrition, a solid full-body strength routine, and a balanced cardiovascular program,” says Beaton.
For more workout reward ideas, details on the above, and/or to schedule an interview with a Bay Club trainer on any fitness topic, contact Annie Appel at [email protected] or 415.901.9220.
About The BAY CLub
Founded in 1977, the Bay Club is the owner and operator of 11 private health, fitness, athletic, sports, and lifestyle resorts on the West Coast. Featuring six regional campuses, the Bay Club provides club members with the finest quality programming catered to the entire family including traditional fitness elements and convenient solutions to daily work, family and life demands. For 35 years, the Bay Club has maintained the highest standards of professional service, earning a reputation as one of the leading private club companies in the United States. The company employs approximately 2,000 people and is headquartered in San Francisco, California. For more information on the Bay Club, its clubs or services, visit: www.explorebayclub.com.